Ruidoso plan to focus fixes from disasters

Dealing with necessary fixes from disasters in recent years and acquiring outside funding will be the top goal for Ruidoso. Leading the list of an Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP) endorsed Tuesday by village councilors is FEMA- (Federal Emergency Management Agency) related projects. The ICIP is used in large part to impress on the state and federal governments the need for financial assistance.

"The staff identified 24 projects in this ICIP," said Bobbye Rose, the village's community development director. "The funding requirements to complete these projects within a five-year period is $97,320,416."

For fiscal year 2014, all 24 projects add up to nearly $19 million. But it is the top five projects that are the main focus.

"We looked at each of the projects and determined which would be rated number one," Rose told village councilors. "And we determined all of the FEMA-related projects would be rated number one. That includes the water, the bridges, the sewer. The water well and system rehab - the village has three primary service areas of water, Alto (Reservior), Cherokee (Well) and Grindstone (Reservoir). They all are not currently interconnected."

Rose said it was essential for the village to tie the systems together. The water needs add up to $570,000 of hoped for funding assistance in 2014.

Bridges along the Rio Ruidoso, which were wiped out by flooding in July 2008, are yet included in the FEMA-related projects. The price tag for 2014 will be $1.

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8 million.

The flood also damaged sewer lines that ran in or along the Rio Ruidoso.

"Sections of this have been repaired but permanent relocation is needed," Rose noted of the sewer main. "Funding assistance is needed in the amount of $186,480."

The village's 12.5 percent share of a more than $14 million in flood mitigation following June's Little Bear Fire is a bit over $1.8 million.

The total required for the FEMA-related projects in fiscal year 2014 is more than $2.5 million. Slightly larger amounts will be required in the following three years.

ICIP priority number two will be to secure a $5 million loan for the FEMA-related projects.

"Because of the magnitude of these damages and the cost associated with these damages, the village has been unable to complete these projects in a timely manner," Rose said. "Because FEMA is a reimbursable funding source, the village pays these funds up front in most cases. A loan is needed to front these costs and provide the village the financial ability to complete these projects in a timely manner."

Village Councilor Rafael "Rifle" Salas noted that FEMA had provided some pre-project funding and the state Legislature last winter approve additional dollars to "kick start" work because of FEMA's reimbursement after money is spent policy.

Water line replacements

Away from the disaster damage needs, ICIP projects ranked three, four and five for 2014 are water line replacements and associated items for $1.9 million, mapping and automation to better keep track of the village's inventory of things for $164,800, and building improvements including a water and sewer shop at $955,088. A number of projects would be multi-year, meaning funding would be needed in subsequent years.

FEMA typically will cover 75 percent of qualifying projects. But Rose noted the federal disaster relief sometimes is far short of what is actually needed.

"On Eagle (Drive) Bridge, the replacement cost was listed at $186,144," Rose said. "We have completed that bridge and the total cost was $1,182,588. So it's significantly more than what FEMA had designated."

But Mayor Ray Alborn said FEMA officials have been "really unbelievable." He said it has not been the horror stories he had heard.

"In fact, the head guy came over today (Tuesday) and asked for some information that he hadn't seen and he thought we were missing the possibility of extra money."

Rose said the state required ICIP process is valuable.

"The benefit for the projects is for the community to not only focus on the short-term planning but also look at the long-time planning into the future for at least five years," Rose said. "You can then identify your capital assets and plan for those repairs and replacements. This is a planned approach rather than a constant emergency for repair and replacement."

The council adopted ICIP will be delivered to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration.